Eurasier Puppies
Our dogs and the dogs we have bred with, have been cleared for the health issues listed below. We would like to track all puppies born to our dogs to ensure that the lines are clear and free of these issues:
Hip Dysplasia
Hip dysplasia is a congenital disease that affects mostly large breed dogs. It causes weakness and lameness to the rear quarters, and eventually leads to painful arthritis. This arthritis goes by several names; degenerative joint diseases, arthrosis, osteoarthritis.
Patellar Luxation
The knee cap (patella) normally fits into a groove in the thigh bone (femur). The patella slides up and down in this groove as the leg bends and straightens. Patellar luxation means that the knee cap has slipped out of the groove. There are several reasons why this happens, including malformation of the groove. Luxation may happen only occasionally, or may happen continuously. The knee cap may pop back into the groove on its own, or your veterinarian may need to push it back into place. Your dog will be lame when the patella is out of place. Over time your dog may develop other degenerative joint changes, such as osteoarthritis. NOTE** it has now been scientifically proven that spaying and neutering a puppy before he/she has fully matured may have an effect on bone and ligament growth and early spay and neutering may increase the chances of a dog having problems with patellar luxation.
Elbow dysplasia
Elbow Dysplasia dogs is a condition that affects the elbow joint, where the abnormal growth of the joint and development of the cartilage results in osteoarthritis in the elbow. Dogs affected by elbow dysplasia typically display lameness, decreased range of motion, and outward rotation of the elbows with inward rotation of the limbs. In addition to genetics contributing to the occurrence of elbow dysplasia, nutrition and other environmental factors can play a part as well.
Hypothyroidism:
This condition occurs when the thyroid gland does not function as it should and become underactive. The thyroid influences many body functions from hair condition to temperament and behaviour. It is essential for a healthy dog to have a well functioning thyroid gland. While it is not always easy to see the symptoms and it is often misdiagnosed, a blood test can reveal the condition, and the treatment is fairly easy; supplemental thyroid hormones can be administered orally just like people do when they have thyroid issues.
Entropium:
The border of the eyelid rolling in toward the eye can cause real discomfort to the dog affected, and those dogs are not allowed to breed. The eyeball is constantly irritated, and the constant friction causes infections.
Distichiasis
distichiasis are extra eyelashes. A distichia (plural distichiae) is an eyelash that arises from a second row on the eyelid an may grow in an abnormal direction. Distichiae usually emerge along the margin of the eyelid through the duct or opening of the meibomian gland, although they may arise at other locations along the eyelid margins. The condition in which these abnormal eyelashes are found is called distichiasis. They often do not cause any problems, but sometimes will grow toward the eye and cause irritation, even damage to the cornea. There are specialists that can surgically remove these eyelashes. Do not let a regular vet do the procedure as they will often grow back if not completely removed.
Glaucoma
Glaucoma is due to build up of the fluid in the eye due to abnormal production and drainage of said fluid. Depending on the progression, affected dogs can exhibit subtle signs such as sluggish and slightly dilated pupils, slight enlargement of the eye, and mild redness, eventually you will see cloudy corneas, fixed and dilated pupils, and significant redness.
Exocrine Pancreatic Insufficiency (EPI):
EPI occurs when the part of the pancreas that produces digestive enzymes no longer functions properly. As a result the dog can't digest its food. Although it is not common in the Eurasier, it is important to be aware of the disease and ensure your Eurasier maintains a healthy balance of digestive enzymes in their system.
Dandy Walker aka Cerebellar Hypoplasia
Dandy Walker-Like Malformation (Cerebellar Hypoplasia) is a neurological issue. . DWLM-affected dogs exhibit very poor motor control, lack of coordination, and other symptoms associated with cerebellar ataxia.
DWLM is inherited in an autosomal recessive manner, meaning dogs must carry two copies of the affected gene in order to be genetically affected (both parents must be carriers or affected and each pass the gene to the offspring).
DWLM is a monogenetic hereditary disease. DNA tests for DWLM are done on all breeding Edelweiss Eurasiers
Health
General health of Eurasiers
The Eurasier is a natural breed of dog and therefor has the potential to be very healthy all of his or her life.
Edelweiss Eurasiers health screens all of the breeding stock and tracks puppies health issues as much as possible. We do our best to ensure that each pup produced is free and clear of all hereditary disease.
As the Eurasier is a very young breed of dog, the Eurasier communities are working together to record health issues to see what can be done to make sure the future well being of the Eurasier remains natural and healthy.